Boot camp
I work at a school giving individual music lessons to kids. It's a great job. I have great kids. There's only one problem. Parents seem to think that music lessons are like the sticker club or cheerleading...just another fun activity to be a part of...not something to invest time and energy into. Therefore, about 10% of our kids practice and are retaining anything of what they learn.
All you teachers out there: Can you imagine having a class where only 4 of your kids did their homework? They do their homework when it's fun or if they happen to remember. Their parents don't make them, and so you're left teaching the same thing to them every time you see them?
So, it's frustrating. But, with the help of a good friend, I came to the realization that I need to stop caring so much about teaching them music and start using my 1/2 hour with them as a chance to love them and pour into them. Use the music as the means to encourage them. That I can succeed at. Teaching them music is a lost cause.
Four weeks into the semester. Well, I succeeded for two weeks. Then I failed for 2 weeks. I just couldn't stop caring about the learning and music part. I got frustrated and pushed a couple of my kids too hard and hurt their feelings. Suddenly, I'm the piano drill sergeant instead of patient, gentle Miss Leah. Man, I feel like the scum of the earth.
Do you ever have scum-of-the-earth times and then suddenly it seems like no one else around you ever sins? I mess up and mess up bad but see no one around me who messes up just as bad so I can feel better. I keep thinking about grace and how that means giving people the freedom to make mistakes. I need to give that to myself right about now.
Any advice from more experienced teachers?
posted by Leah at 9:16 PM
3 Comments:
Well, I'm not a teacher but I definitely mess up a lot. All you can do is realize your mistake and do your best from here. You're an awesome person and I'm sure you're having a positive impact on those kids. Remember too, kids get their feeling hurt pretty easily so don't take it personally. You want them to do their best and that's a good thing!
Leah I told you a couple of days ago that I've experienced that before. It does make you feel really guilty! But I am learning to except my mistakes as learning opportunities. I also have to remind myself that God has enough grace for me. And I don't have to expect myself to be perfect.
I worked at a church in Sugarland Texas for 3 years, leading worship with my wife, was the band pastor, blah blah blah. In the mean time I taught piano and guitar. I found that through private lessons I was making the greatest impact on lives that I had ever made. Even if they kid didn't do jack-diddly on their instrument that week. One week a parent approached me almost in tears saying how much it meant to her that I had told her boy that I was also A.D.D. and very unpopular in the 3rd grade.
Somehow that just made his day.
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